Albany Med requires all employees to receive vaccination for COVID-19
ALBANY, N.Y. >> Albany Medical Center announced that all employees are required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The policy extends to physicians, nurses, College and support staff, contractors, and any of the Medical Center’s 10,000 colleagues with clinical or nonclinical responsibilities.
As the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus spreads, broad vaccination has become more critical, especially for those who work in health care settings.
The first vaccines in the Capital Region were administered to Albany Med’s front-line staff beginning Dec. 14, 2020. Since then, Albany Med has offered the vaccine to every member of its workforce, and today, more than 80 percent of all employees are fully vaccinated. Albany Med was also asked by New York State to lead the Capital Region Vaccine Network and ensure the safe, equitable, and efficient distribution of the vaccine.
Albany Med President and CEO Dennis P. McKenna, M.D., said the vaccine requirement aligns with Albany Med’s mission to improve health by attaining the highest standard of quality in care delivery, education and research initiatives, and prioritization of safety. As the region’s largest private employer, he also explained that the health of the workforce has a direct link to the welfare of the community.
“We have followed the science from day one, and the science tells us that the vaccine works,” Dr. McKenna said. “Our staff has witnessed firsthand the unforgiving impact of the coronavirus on nearly every aspect of our lives and, in too many cases, on life itself. As more of us got vaccinated, the number of hospitalizations finally began to drop. But we continue to care for Covid patients; the majority of whom are not vaccinated. My colleagues have worked so hard to protect each other and the people we serve, and we must continue to lead by example.
“I thank all my colleagues for their untiring efforts and urge every member of our workforce—and our neighbors in the community — to get vaccinated. The vaccine is safe. It will put the pandemic behind us.”
Employees must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1. If booster shots are deemed necessary, those will be required at the appropriate time. Exemptions and deferrals may be approved on a limited
basis. Any employee who does not receive an exemption or deferral or show proof of vaccination will be terminated from the organization.
Vaccine clinics continue to be scheduled regularly throughout the area.